bound 1 of 5

noun (1)

Definition of boundnext
1
as in limit
a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go the language in the novel really is beyond the bounds of decency

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2
as in confines
the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something colored outside the bounds of the drawing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bound

2 of 5

noun (2)

as in leap
an act of leaping into the air the kangaroo took one giant bound and was gone

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bound

3 of 5

verb (1)

1
as in to define
to mark the limits of the country is bounded by water on two sides

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2
as in to border
to serve as a border for being bounded on all sides by the Alps has helped Switzerland maintain its neutrality

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bound

4 of 5

verb (2)

1
as in to hop
to move with a light springing step the child giggled and bounded off to play with her friends

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to leap
to propel oneself upward or forward into the air a rabbit bounded down the garden path

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bound

5 of 5

adjective

ˈbau̇nd How to pronounce bound (audio)
as in determined
fully committed to achieving a goal I am bound and determined to write a novel before I turn 30

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bound
Noun
Only got off a punt out of bounds at around the line of scrimmage. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026 Milton, though, was flushed from the pocket, and a late throw to Brown sailed out of bounds. — Daniel Popper, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
How Leaders Should Prepare The organizations that get this right will be the ones that deploy agents where the work is bounded, the data is clean and the accountability is clear. — Tammy Hawes, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 With the sprightly energy of a schoolboy, Jean-Paul Doron bounds into an empty creek, his red suede shoes scraping pale rocks. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The bound paper booklets in which students hand-write their responses to test questions have surged in popularity during the AI explosion. — Jamil Zaki, CNBC, 12 May 2026 The Dodgers’ split-squad group that journeyed the 14 miles from Glendale (and ultimately lost to Texas, 7-6) was largely a skeleton crew of Triple-A bound prospects and wannabes. — Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bound
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bound
  1. limit
  2. edge
  3. leap
  4. define
  5. border
  6. hop
  7. jump
  8. determined
Noun
  • The pre-tax dependent care account limit rises to $7,500 for 2026, covering elder care.
    — Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Over the last decade, hundreds of homes have burned down near the outer limits of Lisbon, Milan and other European cities, including scores this summer outside Madrid and Athens.
    — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of limit
Noun
  • The negative is that rookie edge Keyron Crawford is out for the year with an ankle injury.
    — Sam Warren, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • China continues to rely on Dutch manufacturer ASML for nearly all of its cutting-edge deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines, while some DUV systems encounter US export restrictions.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of edge
Noun
  • With Nebraska, the Cornhuskers landed Casey Thompson out of the portal from Texas and expected to take a leap in year five of the Scott Frost era.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Child safety experts lauded the settlement and the accompanying pressure campaign as a giant leap forward in the effort to regulate an industry that until this year appeared all but impenetrable to reform, either from the courts or legislatures.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of leap
Verb
  • The trailblazing American feminist, Gloria Steinem, who died Wednesday, lived a life defined by movement in every sense of the word.
    — Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The character is composed of only the broadest of strokes, thinly defined by toughness, trauma, and uncomfortable motherhood, runoff of the stew that formed characters like Ripley.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of define
Verb
  • The lake borders New York state and the Canadian province of Ontario.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Neighborhoods like Boyle Heights — which is over 90% Latino — are bordered by freeways, leading to poorer air quality, a 2017 UCLA study showed.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of border
Verb
  • And if the couple decides to live a nomadic life, hopping from mansion to mansion, Farlow said thousands of years of Samoyed breeding should come in handy.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Though nothing about the current situation is ideal, there’s no clear way to hop off without ensuring certain doom at the hands of a large, angry cat.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hop
Verb
  • As one social media analyst put it, Ziyu couldn't jump over a piece of paper.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Even with an 11,500-seat capacity, revenue for the club jumped 260 per cent in the stadium’s inaugural year.
    — Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of jump
Adjective
  • Sandro Tonali and Adam Wharton were considered as options alongside Anderson and Bouaddi, but Fernandez was the player City were most determined to sign.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The kitchen is located in the new addition of the house, and Keys was determined to inject it with charm.
    — Rachel Wallace, Architectural Digest, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of determined

Browse Nearby Words

bouncy
bound
boundaries
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bound. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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